Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Yosun City’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Yosun City’, characterized by its uniform and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; strong and freely branching growth habit; dark green-colored foliage; uniform flowering response and habit; typically grown as a spray-type; early flowering habit; large daisy-type inflorescences with elongated oblong-shaped ray florets; red and yellow bi-colored ray florets; and excellent postproduction longevity with plants maintaining good substance and color for about four weeks in an interior environment.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Yosun City’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Yosun City’.

The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom. Theobjective of the program is to create or discover new pottedChrysanthemum cultivars that are suitable for year-round production withuniform plant growth habit, good vigor and strong branching habit,numerous inflorescences, desirable inflorescence form and floret colors,fast and uniform flowering response, and good postproduction longevity.

The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross-pollination made inJanuary, 2001 in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom, of a proprietaryselection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number P130E 1,not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with theChrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Los Alamos, not patented, as the male,or pollen, parent. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected bythe Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross-pollination grown in a controlled environment in Fareham,Hampshire, United Kingdom in January, 2001. The selection of this plantwas based on its uniform plant growth habit, good vigor and strongbranching habit, desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, fastand uniform flowering response, and good postproduction longevity.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by vegetative tip cuttingswas first conducted in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom in January,2001. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Yosun City has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength, and/or lightlevel, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Yosun City’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Yosun City’ as a new and distinctChrysanthemum:

-   -   1. Uniform and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Strong and freely branching growth habit.    -   3. Dark green-colored foliage.    -   4. Uniform flowering response and habit.    -   5. Typically grown as a spray-type.    -   6. Early flowering, eight week response time.    -   7. Large daisy-type inflorescences with elongated oblong-shaped        ray florets.    -   8. Red and yellow bi-colored ray florets.    -   9. Excellent postproduction longevity with plants maintaining        good substance and color for about four weeks in an interior        environment.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants ofthe female parent selection primarily in ray floret color as plants ofthe female parent selection have red-colored ray florets. In addition,plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about three or four days laterthan plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the maleparent, the cultivar Los Alamos. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differfrom plants of the cultivar Los Alamos in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are larger than plants of the        cultivar Los Alamos.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have larger inflorescences        than plants of the cultivar Los Alamos.    -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower about three to four        days earlier than plants of the cultivar Los Alamos.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of thecultivar Yobaton Rouge, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,283. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Fareham, Hampshire, UnitedKingdom, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of thecultivar Yobaton Rouge in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were larger than plants of        the cultivar Yobaton Rouge.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had larger inflorescences        than plants of the cultivar Yobaton Rouge.    -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about three to four        days earlier than plants of the cultivar Yobaton Rouge.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can also be compared to plants of thecultivar Cedar Falls, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,068. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Fareham, Hampshire, UnitedKingdom, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of thecultivar Cedar Falls in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were shorter than plants of        the cultivar Cedar Falls.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had more pointed ray florets        than plants of the cultivar Cedar Falls.    -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about one week        earlier than plants of the cultivar Cedar Falls.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Chrysanthemum showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailedbotanical description which accurately describe the colors of the newChrysanthemum.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view oftypical flowering plants of ‘Yosun City’ grown as spray-types.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a close-up view of typicalinflorescences of ‘Yosun City’ grown as spray-types.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementionedphotographs, following observations and measurements describe plantsgrown and flowered during the spring in Salinas, Calif., in afiberglass-covered greenhouse and under conditions which approximatethose generally used in commercial potted Chrysanthemum production.During the production of these plants, the following conditions weremeasured: day temperatures, 21 to 27° C.; night temperatures, 17 to 19°C.; and light levels, 5,000 to 6,000 foot-candles. Four unrootedcuttings were directly stuck in 15-cm containers, exposed to longday/short night conditions, and pinched once about two weeks later. Atthe time of the pinch, the photoinductive short day/long nighttreatments were initiated. Plants used for the description were grown asspray-types. Measurements and numerical values represent averages oftypical flowering plants.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Yosun    City.-   Commercial classification: Daisy-type potted Chrysanthemum.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number P130E 1,            not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar            Los Alamos, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal tip cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About four days at 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About ten days at 21° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; white, close to 155D, in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Appearance.—Herbaceous daisy-type potted Chrysanthemum that            is typically grown as a spray-type. Upright with lateral            branches somewhat outwardly spreading; uniformly mounded            crown. Strong and freely branching growth habit; about four            lateral branches develop after removal of terminal apex            (pinching); dense and full plants.        -   Plant height.—About 28 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 41 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 23 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Internode length: About 2.8 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Pubescent. Color: Close to 146A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:            About 8.4 cm. Width: About 6.75 cm. Apex: Mucronate. Base:            Mostly truncate. Margin: Palmately lobed, sinuses between            lateral lobes mostly divergent. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Pubescent. Color: Developing and fully expanded            foliage, upper surface: Darker green than 147A. Developing            and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Close to 147A.            Venation, upper surface: Close to 147A. Venation, lower            surface: Close to 146A. Petiole length: About 2.2 cm.            Petiole diameter: About 3 mm. Petiole texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Pubescent. Petiole color, upper surface:            Close to 146A. Petiole color, lower surface: 146A to 146B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with elongated            oblong-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on terminals            above foliage. Disk and ray florets develop acropetally on a            capitulum. Inflorescences not fragrant.        -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plants flower            in the autumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere. At other            times of the year, inflorescence initiation and development            can be induced under short day/long night conditions (at            least 13.5 hours of darkness). Uniform and early flowering            habit; plants exposed to two weeks of long day/short night            conditions followed by photoinductive short day/long night            conditions flower about eight weeks later.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color            and substance for about four weeks in an interior            environment.        -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Grown as a spray-type, about            nine per lateral branch.        -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 7.5 mm. Diameter: About            8 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color: Close to 146A.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—Large, about 8.5 cm.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 3.2 cm.        -   Diameter of disc.—About 1.4 cm.        -   Receptacle diameter.—About 6.5 mm.        -   Receptacle height.—About 5.5 mm.        -   Ray florets.—Length: About 4.8 cm. Width: About 1 cm.            Corolla tube length: About 7 mm. Shape: Elongated oblong.            Apex: Acute to emarginate. Base: Fused into a corolla tube.            Margin: Entire. Orientation: Initially upright to eventually            reflexing. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous; velvety. Number of ray florets per inflorescence:            About 22 arranged in a single whorl. Color: When opening and            fully opened, upper surface: Center, 46A; towards the base            and margins, 9A, with random spots and streaks, 46A. When            opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 6A to 6C            underlain with close to 59A.        -   Disc florets.—Arrangement: Massed at center of receptacle.            Length: About 8 mm. Diameter, apex: About 2.5 mm. Diameter,            base: About 1.5 mm. Shape: Tubular; elongated. Apex:            Five-pointed. Number of disc florets per inflorescence:            About 92. Color: Immature: Close to 154B. Mature, apex:            Close to 9A. Mature, mid-section: Close to 145C. Mature,            base: Close to 155D.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 24 arranged in            about two to three whorls. Length: About 9 mm. Width: About            3 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Waxy, smooth.            Texture, lower surface: Pubescent. Color, upper surface:            Close to 144A. Color, lower surface: Close to 146A.        -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 3.2 cm. Length,            fourth peduncle: About 4.7 cm. Length, seventh peduncle:            About 4.7 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Pubescent. Angle: About 45° from vertical. Color:            Close to 146A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets            only. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: Close to            9A. Pollen amount: None observed. Gynoecium: Present on both            ray and disc florets. Style length: About 6 mm. Style color:            Close to 155A. Stigma color: Close to 9A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to    Chrysanthemums has not been observed on plants grown under    commercial greenhouse conditions.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘YosunCity’, as illustrated and described.